- Overcomer Literature Trust
- 129 Sandgate
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
- SN3 4HJ
FACE TO FACE: Glimpses into the Inner Life of Moses the Man of God
By Mrs Jessie Penn-Lewis
CONTENTS
Chapter
Preface ............................................
1. Life Out of Death .........................
2. The Crisis and the Cross .............
3. Self-Energy and Failure .............
4. The Flame of Fire.........................
5. Self-Diffidence and Loss ...........
6. The Faithful Servant...................
7. From Glory to Glory...................
8. "Face to Face" .............................
Preface
"FACE TO FACE" should be the record of every "Quiet Hour" spent alone with God, but it is to be feared that despite all the knowledge of today, all God's children do not know their God so as to have that direct intercourse with Him which is described in the suggestive words of our title. There is a fellowship with God which is sight to the "eyes of the heart," although in comparison with the full vision that is yet to come "we see through a glass darkly."
There is a face-to-face fellowship with God where we "enquire of the Lord" as David did, and get our answer; where we have such communion with Him that He is able to reveal His mind to us, and where we intelligently know and enter into the purposes of our God.
In the "Quiet Hour" for which the message of this book is especially written, let us turn to the history of Moses to gather instruction in the "vision of God," and by glimpses into his inner life to see how he was led from the court of Egypt to the Presence chamber of the King of kings. "There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face," runs the sacred record. And yet Moses once lived in a worldly home, even in a heathen court, and had to decide to follow Christ, just like other men. Step by step he learned to know the Lord, and to follow Him fully, until he was granted a friendship with the Eternal God such as few have ever known.
Do we say, "For Moses, face-to-face knowledge of God may have been possible, but for me, in my circumstances and in the very different conditions of the present age, it cannot be"?
Surely Moses could also have said that his circumstances were against him! He could have said: "Abraham, in his peaceful tent life, away from the heathen palace of Pharaoh, might have face-to-face communion with Jehovah—but for me in Egypt, with my surroundings, it is impossible!"
We are reminded in Hebrews 3 v5 that Moses was a servant in the house of God over which Christ is the Son and Heir. But we have been brought into union with the Son and given the place of children, and "if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ" (Romans 8 v17).
"Face-to-face" fellowship with God is our birthright as children of God, and if we are but willing to follow on to know the Lord we shall be led by the Spirit from faith to faith, and glory to glory, until we are in reality "no longer . . . servants . . . but friends."
"Face-to-face" fellowship means that anywhere, at any moment, we may have spiritual communion with Him who is invisible, and hear His voice in our hearts speaking to us, across the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat.
As we wait before our God let us cry, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek"; so will He cause His face to shine upon us, and we shall walk habitually in the light of His countenance, see His glory, and speak of Him.
"Show me Thy face—one transient gleam of loveliness Divine,
And I shall never think or dream of other love save Thine:
All lesser light will darken quite, all lower glories wane,
The beautiful of earth will scarce seem beautiful again."